Snowball Shrimp Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

Snowball Shrimp are small freshwater dwarf shrimp recognised for their opaque white to creamy colouration. Their bodies can range from translucent white in younger or lower-grade individuals to a dense, almost porcelain-like white in high-quality adults, while the eyes and delicate legs remain darker and more translucent. Females are generally larger and more robust than males.

Like other Neocaridina, they are active scavengers that spend much of the day walking across plants, wood, rocks and the substrate in search of edible films and particles. They are peaceful and non-territorial, making them fascinating inhabitants for a planted nano aquarium or a dedicated shrimp colony.

In nature, Neocaridina davidi lives in shallow freshwater environments with abundant algae, biofilm, leaf litter and submerged surfaces to explore. The Snowball form shares the hardy, adaptable character of its wild ancestor, although its pale colour is most striking against dark substrate and dense green vegetation.

A thriving colony develops a lively rhythm as shrimp graze, moult and reproduce among the plants. They are most confident in mature aquariums with stable conditions, where natural microorganisms provide an important part of their daily food supply.

Snowball Shrimp are a selectively bred white colour variety of Neocaridina davidi, a species native to freshwater streams, pools and waterways across parts of Taiwan and mainland East Asia. The Snowball colour form is established in the aquarium trade rather than being a naturally occurring wild population.

A colony can be kept in an aquarium of around 20 litres, with a footprint of approximately 30 × 25 cm or larger; a bigger tank provides more stable water conditions and supports a larger colony. Use a gentle sponge filter or a pre-filtered intake, stable filtration and a mature biological system. Dark, inert substrate helps their white colour stand out, while Java moss, fine-leaved plants, driftwood, rocks and leaf litter provide grazing surfaces and shelter for juveniles. Keep the aquarium securely covered where possible and avoid copper-based medications, which are highly toxic to shrimp.

Females reach up to about 2.5 cm (1 inch), while males are usually smaller at around 2 cm (0.8 inches).

Snowball Shrimp graze naturally on algae, biofilm, soft plant matter, microorganisms and decomposing organic material. Supplement this with a quality shrimp food or sinking algae-based pellet in small portions, along with occasional blanched vegetables such as courgette, spinach or kale. Their diet should be varied but restrained, since uneaten food can quickly affect water quality in a small aquarium. Calcium-rich foods and mineral availability also support healthy moulting.

Snowball Shrimp are best kept in a species-only aquarium or with peaceful, tiny tankmates such as otocinclus, small rasboras, pygmy corydoras and freshwater snails. Most fish will eat newly hatched shrimplets, and larger or predatory species such as bettas, gouramis, cichlids, loaches and many barbs can threaten adults as well. Avoid combining them with other Neocaridina colour varieties if you want to preserve the Snowball colour, as crossbreeding may produce less predictable offspring.

Snowball Shrimp breed readily in established freshwater aquariums when healthy and well fed. Females carry a clutch of eggs beneath the abdomen for around three to four weeks, regularly fanning them until they hatch. The young emerge as fully formed miniature shrimp, so there is no separate larval stage. Provide mature biofilm, fine-leaved plants and moss for the juveniles to graze on, and avoid fish that may eat them.

Females are larger, deeper-bodied and often have a more rounded abdomen, particularly when carrying eggs. Males are smaller and slimmer, with a straighter underside; in a well-coloured colony, females also tend to show denser white colouration.